^>c7  -  -JPo 

ft 


nflplg  ft  ufofert., 


outhern 


Yellow  Pine 


INCLUDINQ  DEFINITION  OF  THE 
U\ 


New  “Density”  Rule 

.  . 


Adopted  and  Copyrighted  by  the 

American  Society  for  Testing  Materials 

Wi“" 

of  names  to  conform  to  New 
Density  Rule. 


wHH 


ILL.:-;:.;..;  7ARY 

Uk.;  .  ,  v./iPAIGN 

.  .*  :  ^.oKiS 


(J /V I  VE  RS  1 T  Y  OF 
V.  jl-L  LIBRARY 
1  U^.-w^A-CHAMPa;3N 
t-uuKSTACKO 


an3ard  Specifications  for 
Southern  Yellow  Pine 
Bridge  and  Trestle 


Timbers 


(To  be  applied  to  Single  Sticks  and  not  to  Composite  Members) 


For  Use  in  ] 


HE  use  of  Southern  Yellow  Pine  for 


bridge  and  trestle  timbers  in  railroad 
work  requires  high  grade  pieces  of  timber 
both  as  to  strength  and  lasting  power.  Rec¬ 
ognizing  these  facts.,  a  special  set  of  stand¬ 
ard  specifications  has  been  adopted  by  the 
Southern  Pine  Association.  The  speci¬ 


fications  as  to  the  quality  of  the  timber  are 


according  to  the  Standard  Specifications 
adopted  and  copyrighted  by  the  Ameri- 

-  can  Society  for  Testing  Materials  de¬ 
fining  dense  and  sound  pine.f  These 

-  terms  replace  the  botanical  designation 
J  hitherto  used,  that  is,  longleaf,  short- 

leaf  and  loblolly  pine.  The  grade  “dense” 
pine  refers  to  the  strongest  pieces  of 


t  Adopted  and  copyrighted  by  the  American  Society  for 
Testing  Materials,  August,  1915. 


what  has  hitherto  been  known  as  long- 
leaf  pine. 

The  specifications  as  to  grades  are  the 
Standard  Specifications  for  Southern  Yel¬ 
low  Pine  bridge  and  trestle  timbers 
adopted  and  published  in  the  Manual 
by  the  American  Railway  Engineering 
Association  (reprinted  by  permission  of 
the  American  Railway  Engineering  As¬ 
sociation  from  the  Manual,  1916).  The 
only  change  which  has  been  made  in 
the  reprint  of  the  American  Railway 
Engineering  Association  rules  is  that 
“dense”  pine  has  been  substituted  for 
longleaf  pine  and  “sound”  pine  for  short- 
leaf  pine. 


—  2  — 


BRANDED  TIMBERS 


Proper  service  to  buyers  and  users 
of  yellow-pine  timber  demands  correct 
grading,  and  the  branding  or  marking  of 
each  stick  of  timber  showing  its  grade. 

Variation  in  the  individual  character 
of  different  pieces  of  timber  is  responsible 
for  the  difference  in  strength.  Struc¬ 
turally,  some  are  much  stronger  than 
others. 

Owing  to  the  confusion  which  frequently 
results  in  the  proper  classifying  of  timbers 
into  longleaf,  shortleaf ,  loblolly,  etc.,  a  new 
rule  has  been  devised  and  recently  adopted 
by  the  American  Society  for  Testing 
Materials,  and  known  among  the  trade 
as  the  “Density  Rule”,  which  classifies 
all  Southern  Pine  timbers,  irrespective 
of  botanical  species,  into  two  classes; 
namely,  “Dense  Southern  Yellow  Pine” 
and  “Sound  Southern  Yellow  Pine.” 

Details  and  description  of  these  des¬ 
ignations  will  be  found  in  the  following 
pages. 

The  Southern  Pine  Association  recom¬ 
mends  that  all  timbers  be  branded.  All 
manufacturers  and  dealers  are  invited 
—  3  — 


to  brand  their  timber  in  accordance  with 
the  grades  and  classifications  contained 
in  this  book. 

Southern  Pine  Association. 

New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  U.  S.  A. 
January  1,  1917. 


—  4  — 


DEFINITION  FOR  SOUTHERN  YEL¬ 
LOW  PINE. 


( Adopted  and  Copyrighted  by  the  American 
Society  for  Testing  Materials,  August, 

1915.) 

SOUTHERN  YELLOW  PINE.— This 
term  includes  the  species  of  yellow  pine 
growing  in  the  Southern  States  from 
Virginia  to  Texas,  that  is,  the  pines 
hitherto  known  as  longleaf  pine  ( Pinus 
palustris ),  shortleaf  pine  ( Pinus  echinata ), 
loblolly  pine  ( Pinus  taeda),  Cuban  pine 
(Pinus  heterophylla)  and  pond  pine  ( Pinus 
serotina). 

Under  this  heading  two  classes  of  tim¬ 
ber  are  designated:  (a)  dense  Southern 
yellow  pine  and  ( b )  sound  Southern  yellow 
pine.  It  is  understood  that  these  two 
terms  are  descriptive  of  quality  rather 
than  of  botanical  species. 

(a)  Dense  Southern  Yellow  Pine  shall 
show  on  either  end  an  average  of  at  least 
six  annual  rings  per  inch  and  at  least 
one-third  summer  wood,  or  else  the 
greater  number  of  the  rings  shall  show 
at  least  one-third  summer  wood,  all  as 
measured  over  the  third,  fourth  and  fifth 
inches  of  a  radial  line  from  the  pith. 
Wide-ringed  material  excluded  by  this 
—  5  — 


rule  will  be  acceptable,  provided  that  the 
amount  of  summer  wood  as  above  meas¬ 
ured  shall  be  at  least  one-half. 

The  contrast  in  color  between  summer 
wood  and  spring  wood  shall  be  sharp 
and  the  summer  wood  shall  be  dark  in 
color,  except  in  pieces  having  considera¬ 
bly  above  the  minimum  requirement  for 
summer  wood. 

In  cases  where  timbers  do  not  contain 
the  pith,  and  it  is  impossible  to  locate  it 
with  any  degree  of  acccuracy,  the  same 
inspection  shall  be  made  over  3 "  on 
an  approximate  radial  line  beginning 
at  the  edge  nearest  the  pith  in  timbers 
over  3"  in  thickness  and  on  the  second 
inch  (on  the  piece)  nearest  to  the  pith 
in  timbers  3"  or  less  in  thickness. 

In  dimension  material  containing  the 
pith  but  not  a  5"  radial  line,  which  is 
less  than  2x8"  in  section  or  less  than 
8"  in  width,  that  does  not  show  over 
16  sq.  in.  on  the  cross-section,  the  inspec¬ 
tion  shall  apply  to  the  second  inch  from 
the  pith.  In  larger  material  that  does 
not  show  a  5 "  radial  line  the  inspection 
shall  apply  to  the  three  inches  farthest 
from  the  pith. 

The  radial  line  chosen  shall  be  represen¬ 
tative.  In  case  of  disagreement  between 
—  6  — 


purchaser  and  seller  the  average  summer 
wood  and  number  of  rings  shall  be  the 
average  of  the  two  radial  lines  chosen. 

(b)  Sound  Southern  Yellow  Pine  shall 

include  pieces  of  Southern  pine  without 
any  ring  or  summer  wood  requirement. 


STANDARD  SPECIFICATIONS  FOR 
SOUTHERN  YELLOW  PINE 
BRIDGE  AND  TRESTLE 
TIMBERS  *  f 


(To  be  applied  to  Single  Sticks  and  not  to  Composite  Members) 


General  Requirements. 

1.  Except  as  noted,  all  timber  shall 
be  sound,  sawed  to  standard  size, 
square  cornered  and  straight;  close 
grained  and  free  from  defects  such 
as  injurious  ring  shakes  and  cross  grain, 
unsound  or  loose  knots,  knots  in  groups, 
decay,  or  other  defects  that  will  mater¬ 
ially  impair  its  strength. 

Standard  Size. 

2.  “Rough  timbers  sawed  to  standard 
size”  means  that  they  shall  not  be  over 
34 "  scant  from  the  actual  size  specified. 
For  instance,  a  12x12"  timber  shall 
measure  not  less  than  ll%xll%". 

*  Adopted,  Vol.  10,  Part  1,  1909,  pp.  537,  539-541,  598- 
603;  Vol.  11,  1910,  Part  1,  pp.  176,  180,  181,  228-230.  Proc. 
Am.  Ry.  Eng.  Ass. 

t  These  specifications  are  reprinted  from  the  Manual  of 
the  American  Railway  Engineering  Association  with  per¬ 
mission.  The  terms  “Longleaf”  and  “Shortleaf”  have  been 
changed  to  read  “Dense”  and  “Sound”  respectively. 

—  9  — 


Standard  Dressing. 

3.  “Standard  Dressing”  means  that 
not  more  than  y±"  shall  be  allowed 
for  dressing  each  surface.  For  instance, 
a  12x12"  timber,  after  being  dressed 
on  four  sides,  shall  measure  not  less  than 

uyxiiy". 

STANDARD  HEART  GRADE,  DENSE 
PINE. 

Stringers. 

4.  Stringers  shall  show  not  less  than 
85  per  cent  heart  on  the  girth  anywhere 
in  the  length  of  the  piece;  provided, 
however,  that  if  the  maximum  amount 
of  sap  is  shown  on  either  narrow  face  of 
the  stringer,  the  average  depth  of  sap 
shall  not  exceed  one-half  inch.  Knots 
greater  than  V/%"  in  diameter  will 
not  be  permitted  at  any  section  within 
4"  of  the  edge  of  the  piece,  but  knots 
shall  in  no  case  exceed  4"  in  their  largest 
diameter. 


Caps  and  Sills. 

5.  Caps  and  sills  shall  show  not  less 
than  85  per  cent  heart  on  each  of  the  four 
sides,  measured  across  the  sides  anywhere 
in  the  length  of  the  piece,  and  shall  be 
free  from  knots  over  Zy  in  diameter. 

— 10  — 


Posts. 


6.  Posts  shall  show  not  less  than  75 
per  cent  heart  on  each  of  the  four  sides, 
measured  across  the  sides  anywhere  in 
the  length  of  the  piece,  and  shall  be  free 
from  knots  over  "  in  diameter. 

Longitudinal  Struts  and  Girts. 

7.  Longitudinal  Struts  and  Girts  shall 
be  square  cornered  and  sound.  One 
side  shall  show  all  heart;  the  other  side 
shall  show  not  less  than  85  per  cent  heart, 
measured  across  the  side  anywhere  in 
the  length  of  the  piece,  and  shall  be  free 
from  any  large  knots  or  other  defects 
that  will  materially  injure  their  strength. 

Longitudinal  X  Braces,  Sash  and  Sway 
‘Braces. 

8.  Longitudinal  X  Braces,  Sash  Braces 
and  Sway  Braces  shall  be  square  cornered 
and  sound ;  shall  show  not  less  than  80  per 
cent  heart  on  each  of  the  two  sides,  and 
shall  be  free  from  any  large  knots  or 
other  defects  that  will  materially  injure 
their  strength. 

Ties  and  Guard  Rails. 

9.  Ties  and  Guard  Rails  shall  show 
one  side  all  heart;  the  other  side  and  two 

—  ll  — 


edges  shall  show  not  less  than  75  per 
cent  heart,  measured  across  the  surface 
anywhere  in  the  length  of  the  piece;  shall 
be  free  from  any  large  knots  or  other  de¬ 
fects  that  will  materially  injure  their 
strength;  and  where  surfaced  the  remain¬ 
ing  rough  face  shall  show  all  heart. 

STANDARD  GRADE,  DENSE  AND 
SOUND  YELLOW  PINE. 

Stringers. 

10.  Stringers  shall  be  square  cornered, 
with  the  exception  of  1"  wane  on  one 
corner  or  Y"  wane  on  two  corners. 
Knots  shall  not  exceed  in  their  largest 
diameter  one-fourth  of  the  width  of  the 
surface  of  the  stick  in  which  they  occur, 
and  shall  in  no  case  exceed  4  inches. 
Ring  shakes  shall  not  extend  over  one- 
eighth  of  the  length  of  the  piece. 

Caps  and  Sills. 

11.  Caps  and  Sills  shall  be  square 
cornered,  with  the  exception  of  1" 
wane  on  one  corner,  or  Y"  wane  on 
two  corners.  Knots  shall  not  exceed 
in  their  largest  diameter  Y  of  the  width 
of  the  surface  of  the  stick  in  which  they 
occur,  and  in  no  case  shall  exceed 
4".  Ring  shakes  shall  not  extend  over 
one-eighth  of  the  length  of  the  piece. 

— 12  — 


Posts. 


12.  Posts  shall  be  square  cornered, 
with  the  exception  of  1"  wane  on 
one  corner,  or  wane  on  two  cor¬ 

ners.  Knots  shall  not  exceed,  in  their 
largest  diameter,  one-fourth  of  the  width 
of  the  surface  of  the  stick  in  which  they 
occur,  and  shall  in  no  case  exceed  4". 
Ring  shakes  shall  not  extend  over  one- 
eight  of  the  length  of  the  piece. 


—  13  — 


This  book  will  be  re-issued  occasionally  to  take  care  of  all  changes,  cancellations 
and  additions. 

In  order  that  you  may  be  certain  of  always  having  the  LATEST  SPECIFIC  A- 


NOTICE 


o 

a 

u 

3 

0 

>> 


■C 


)  QJ 


& 

s 

8 


CO 


c 

a 

$ 

o 


qj  a; 

58  m 


CQ 

C 

•*«» 

On 


if 

mu 

^  - 


■  & 

s 

% 


V 

V 


<D 


fi 

0 

•  H 

cd 

•  H 

U  r 
0  to 
to  2 
to  rn 

c 

gw 

•5  5 


a 

J 


S 

0 

CD 


£ 

_  <D 

a  Z 

4->  4h 

fi 


cn 
Z 

o 

>— H  Vi/ 

E-1  "3. 


£ 


3 


£ 

V. 

£ 


WE  WILL  PUT  THE  ABOVE  ADDRESS  ON  OUR  MAILING  LIST 


